The state of the art encompasses an engine arrangement based on the “Otto”-engine technology which operates with a crankshaft device as the transmission means between a piston movement in a cylinder and an output engine shaft or crankshaft.
To this end, use is made of a stub shaft in the piston and a bearing about the crankshaft for each piston.
This transmission technology has been employed since the first engine was designed in the United States roughly a century ago.
This implies that there are normally required (applying to 4 stroke engines) at least two cylinders to produce a single engine revolution on an output shaft or crankshaft, which naturally implies that these cylinders are supplied with an air-fuel mixture once per engine revolution, hence two air-fuel inputs per engine revolution.
In addition, this function is such that only one cylinder at a time operates approx. one ½ of a revolution, the others being drawn thereby to their different operative functions, and so on.
The generator, the water pump, any hydraulic pump etc. requisite for operation take their power from these two cylinders, which are active during engine work.
In order for this to operate satisfactorily, it is necessary that the engine works at a high idling speed of approx. 1,000 RPM (revolutions per minute), at maximum speed for diesel engines of 2,500-3,500 RPM and for petrol (gasoline) driven engines a speed of 5,000-7,000 RPM.
The “Otto”-engine technology as well as the diesel technology imply that the generated engine power has low torque at low engine speeds, for which reason these normally work at high speeds of revolution in order for the torque to be higher. As a result of the “Otto”-engine technology and diesel operation, these engines cannot utilise the supplied fuel at high engine speeds, and so fuel consumption increases but does not generate power to the same extent.
A part of the prior art is an air-fuel driven engine arrangement comprising, for example, one piston and cylinder assembly where a piston is reciprocally disposed in a cylinder, valves related to the cylinder tops, one or more inlet valves and one or more outlet- or exhaust valves, and a device igniting the air-fuel mixture compressed by the movement of the piston in the cylinder.
Also previously known in the art are exhaust gas-driven engine arrangements, comprising, for example, one piston and cylinder assembly where a piston is reciprocally disposed in a cylinder, valves related to the cylinder top, one or more inlet valves and one or more outlet valves.
The prior art is also disclosed in the Patent Publication BE-A-903 173 and in Abstract WPI/DERVENT.